The Love of a Gardener
by Arc of Carona
Summary: Viola has an orphaned cousin that lives with her and her father. What if he went to a certain mansion to plant lilacs? What if for the first few days, a certain purple haired girl was watching him? This is one of those fanfics that's an AU, where Ellen is 13 instead of "7", she never made the deal with the Black Cat, and her parents are still alive and live in the mansion.
1. Chapter 1

Hey guys, AoC here, I came up with this some weeks ago; forgive me if it's confusing and if it sucks.

Disclaimer: I don't own The Witch's House/Majo No Ie

Ch. 1-The Girl Who Stares Out the Window

Waking up at 7 in the morning on a week day, how long it took me to get used to it, probably longer than getting used to waking up at 9 on Saturdays, week days are school days, how I get annoyed by it, it's not the school, it's all the girls that are flirting with me, I swear, don't they have anything else to do.

I'm getting off topic, I'm Victor, an orphaned 13 year old who lives with his uncle and cousin, my parents died in a hunting accident 6 years ago. So now I live with my uncle Travis, and my cousin Viola, when I transferred, most people at school thought I was Viola's long lost twin, it's probably because of the gold hair and Emerald green eyes, it's probably because we were born on the same day, I'm older than her by seven minutes, you can say we're twins, but we're not siblings, unless Uncle Travis chooses to adopt me, but even though Viola's my cousin, I do see her as my sister. Anyways, today is Saturday, and I was going to plant lilacs in the forest, why, because someone told me to, well, luckily Uncle Travis approved, he just told me to be careful, because there are vines on the ground that has thorns, I said okay, and I left, with lilac seeds, soil, a canteen with water for me, a gallon of water for the seeds, and a few garden tools, I went in one of my 20 black t-shirts, denim jeans, gardener gloves, running shoes, and a silver bandanna wrapped around my head, and headed out at 3:30.

I timed it; it takes an hour to get there, I found a mansion, it looked nice, but it also looked abandoned.

"Is this the place that I'm supposed to plant them?" I thought.

So I went to the front of the house, dug up six holes in the soft ground, and planted one seed in each hole, put fertilizer, most of the soil back, watered them, and whatnot, and I decided to look up and on the balcony, and I saw a girl on the third story balcony, she had lilac purple hair, I can't really see the eyes, but anyways, she was wearing a red dress over a white long sleeve shirt, with what I'm guessing is a big red bow that was tied to the back of her hair, was barefoot, and she had pale skin, I looked down for a bit, thinking of that harsh memory when my mother got killed by that bear, how pale Mom's skin was, how red her neck and part of her shirt was from the blood that was spilling, it sickened me with sadness, but when I looked up again after the flashback, she was gone, I figured that I was probably imagining, so I continued working, then I was done, I took off my bandanna and used it to wipe my face, I took a drink from my canteen, and I just sat there, I pushed back the gold strands of hair that was poking my forehead, and tied the bandanna back on.

Then I heard someone say, "And may I ask what you're doing?"

I jumped to my feet, "Forgive me; I thought this house was abandoned."

There in front of me was a man, who had lilac purple hair like the girl I was imagining, he had blue eyes, he was wearing a tux with a blue tie, he looked serious, but he also looked pitiful and concerned.

"You look tired, would you like to come inside?" asked the man.

I was surprised, I thought he was going to yell at me or something, but he didn't.

"Sorry, but I'll have to decline, I should be heading home by now, but I'll have to dig up the seeds-"

"You could keep them where they are, under one condition; you come back tomorrow to take care of the seeds, okay."

"Yes Sir." I said.

"Quick question," said the man.

"Yes Sir?" I asked.

"What kind of …flower seeds are they?" asked the man.

"Lilacs, why do you ask?"

"My daughter loves lilacs, so now you really have to take care of those seeds, for my daughter's sake."

I looked up at the third story balcony, could it be that I wasn't imagining, after that I left for home.

When I made it back home, Uncle Travis was sitting at the dinner table with Viola, they were eating leftovers from last night's hunt, it was Viola's first kill, Uncle Travis and I couldn't be more proud of her, I'll bet that, no, I _know_ Viola will be a great hunter one day, my parents were hunters, my uncle's a hunter, I'm a hunter, it's practically a family business, but I'm planning on making antidotes for various poisons, I've been studying poisons, mostly on how they look and smell.

"Hey Vic, just in time for dinner, come sit down and eat," said Uncle Travis.

I sat down and served myself, nothing could be better than venison, I went to get a glass of water, and sat back down, after I finished eating, I went to take a shower, after that I went to bed, that night, I had a nightmare of a 6 year old memory that I still wanted to forget, I should remember, my parents died trying to protect me and Viola, I quietly wept for a few minutes, and then drifted back to sleep, and the dream changed to something that wasn't bad at all, then my curiosity of the man's daughter got the best of me. Was she sick? Is that why she's pale? I'll ask tomorrow.

The next day, I left the same time as last time, I put on another black T-shirt, but I wore black capris, and my only pair of shoes. When I got there, I looked up at the third story balcony, and sure enough, the man's daughter was there again, I waved at her, and surprisingly, she waved back, then I saw her turn to around, and head back inside.

"_Strange_." I thought, then I shrugged and went to water where I planted them, did all the necessary things there are, and rested a bit, then I got a headache again, and I reached in my pocket to get an aspirin, I popped one in my mouth, and chugged most of the water from my canteen, and started holding my head and rubbing my temples, it feels like someone was squeezing my brain, after a few minutes of suffering, the pain went away, I sighed in relief, and stood up, at least it wasn't as bad as last time, last time was so bad I had a nosebleed. Ever since Mom and Dad died, I've been getting really bad headaches, what's strange is that it happens once a week, it could happen any day of the week, without warning, so by the time I was 12, I keep a pill or two, just in case if I lose the first one.

"Are you all right?" asked a kind female voice.

I looked to see who asked me a question; it was a woman with brown hair, and golden cat eyes, which I found really weird, she was wearing a blue dress, and had a kind expression.

"Yes Lady, I took an aspirin, so I'll be fine."

"Are you the boy my husband saw yesterday planting seeds?"

"Yes, I'm the one who came yesterday."

"I think it's very nice of you to plant them for my daughter."

"_What the heck, I planted them there because some weird guy gave them to me and told me to plant them there_." I thought.

"You're welcome." I said.

"I'm Eloise, my husband's name Alistair."

"I'm Victor, but my family calls me Vic."

"Nice to meet you Victor," said Eloise.

"Nice to meet you too, Eloise," I said.

"Would you like to come inside, we're making pot roast."

"I'm good."

"Would you like to meet my daughter?"

"Sure I guess." Though I am really confused as to why she asked.

She clamped her hands together and said, "Ok, I'll go bring her down," and went inside.

What I wonder is why she didn't insist for me to come inside? I shrugged; she's probably respecting my word of not coming inside. While I was waiting, I checked the canteen to see if it got dirty, it was clean, which was a relief, while I was checking, I was thinking that Eloise and Alistair were nice, a little too nice.

"I have returned!" said Eloise.

I looked to see Eloise with her daughter, it was the girl I see at the balcony, she was about my age, I can now see that she did have a red bow, she was still barefoot, she has her mother's eyes, and she looked sick, which I still believe explained why she has pale skin.

"Hello," I said in a friendly and gentle tone.

She stared for a few seconds, coughed a bit, and said, "H- hello."

"Ellen, this is Victor, the boy that is planting the lilacs," said Eloise, as if talking to a five year old.

Ellen smiled weakly; it hurts me emotionally to see her like this. Which I'm wondering why; did I fall for her? She coughed harder than before, and collapsed.

"ELLEN!" I shouted.

I picked up the girl, she was lighter than she's supposed to be, and I asked Eloise, where her room is.

"Third story, second door to the left!" said Eloise in a quick tone. (A/N: I know that's not where her room is, but in my fanfic, it is.)

Then I went inside, and start running up two flights of stairs, I held on to the girl, and I kept repeating that she's going to be okay, the moment I got there, I took off my shoe with my other foot, scooted the blanket with my shoeless foot, placed Ellen in her bed, and put the blanket on her.

"You're going to be okay."

I stared at the girl, her face was turning red, so I placed one hand on her forehead, and the other on mine, she's burning hot, I took off my bandanna, went to the bathroom, drowned it in cold water, came back, and placed it on her forehead, hopefully it'll help, she sighed, after that, I grabbed a chair and placed it where I can face her, I drank the last of the water from my canteen, and refilled it in the bathroom. After a few minutes, she finally woke up.

"Are you okay?" I asked the bedridden girl.

She placed a hand where I put the soaked bandanna, sat up, grabbed it and looked to see what it was.

"Sorry, you have a high fever, and I thought it would at least cool down your temperature a little," I said.

She placed the bandanna on my lap, it was slightly moist, much to my surprise, and she started holding her head, I went to the bathroom to wring out whatever water was left over, and when I came back she was still holding her head.

"Headache?" I asked.

She nodded, and I took out the other aspirin I had and took off my canteen strap.

"Here, it'll reduce the pain," I said in an assuring tone.

She stuck out her hands, I placed the pill in one hand, and the canteen in the other, and she placed the pill in her mouth and started drinking.

"It'll take a few minutes, for it to kick in."

After a few minutes, Ellen placed a hand on my hand.

"Thank you," she said in a whisper.

"I'll come back tomorrow, but I'll be late since I have school tomorrow, bye."

"Bye."

And I left for home, and I've learn to realize that I _did _in fact take an interest in Ellen.

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And it's finished, review if you like, or to file a complaint of how much it sucks, I wouldn't care any less. This is AoC, Signing Off!


	2. Chapter 2

How it pains me to see that only one person has favored this one, and two have only reviewed, oh well, for those three people, I'll continue.

Disclaimer: I do not own The Witch's House/ Majo No Ie, Fummy does, though I STRONGLY believe that there should be a sequel to the game.

Ch.2 Seeing Ellen Again

The moment I went home, I came inside to see Uncle Travis sitting on the couch, he was reading a book, the room felt cold all of a sudden.

"_I'm done for_," I thought.

"Where have you been, you're an hour late, Vic."

"Uncle Travis, I was taking care of the Lilacs, and then, I met someone."

He sighed and ushered me to sit across from him, I walked and sat down on the chair that was in front of the couch.

"Would you like to talk about it?" he asked.

"Sure."

And I spoke to him about Ellen, that she was sick, how I had probably experienced love at first sight, but the only thing I left out was the bad feeling I have about Ellen's parents.

"So, you like her?" he asked.

"I … I think so," I said.

"Well, I've been wanting to ask you this?"

"Anything, Uncle Travis," I said, and then yawned.

"I'm, planning on adopting you, are you okay with that?"

"Of course, with that, Viola and I would be considered foster twins, don't you think?"

"Yeah, well, good night Vic."

"Good night, Dad."

When I fell asleep, I dreamt that I was taking care of a bedridden Ellen, I could've sworn that I was about to kissed her; the dream was interrupted by my bed shifting, then I heard weeping, I instantly knew who it was.

"It's all my fault, if I hadn't chosen to wander the woods, Uncle Carter and Aunt Olivia would've still been alive, I'm sorry Vic."

I wrapped my arms around the weeping girl lying next to me, why she brought it up right now, I don't know, and I said to her in a soothing tone, "Don't be sad Viola, you didn't know, you were just a little kid, so stop feeling guilty."

She flipped over to hug me back, and she buried her head in the crook of my neck, "Was Daddy mad at you for being late?"

"At first, kind of, but then, we talked, and near the end, he asked if I was okay with him adopting me."

Her head shot up, "What, he's going to adopt you?"

"Yeah, and, I met someone."

She sat up and pulled me up as well, "Oh my gosh Victor, you turned down _every_ fan girl that likes you at school, but you actually like someone!"

"Yeah."

She grabbed my shoulders and shook me, "I need details!"

"Well, she has lilac purple hair, gold cat eyes, she's ill, and she's very kind, I think I experienced, 'Love at first sight,' if you ask me."

"Poor her, but she sounds very pretty and unique."

"She is, but when I left her house, I felt, disappointed in myself."

"Why is that?"

"I felt as if I should've kissed her or something."

Viola giggled.

"That, and I have a bad feeling about her parents."

"What makes you believe that?"

"Well, they were a little too friendly, and they must be the reason why she's sick."

"That's horrible, what are you gonna do?"

"I'll have to wait and see if I'm correct, and if I am, I'll get her out of there."

"Well, we should go to sleep, we have school tomorrow."

"Go to your bed Viola, you'll get yourself and me in trouble again." I said, teasingly.

"I'm good."

"Fine." And I flipped over so my back was facing her.

I don't understand why she sleeps with me once a week, she's probably doing it as an act of apology, but it's my fault, I snapped at her out of anger, telling her that if she had just listened to me about not wandering in the woods, I wouldn't have become an orphan, and I hated myself for that ever since.

I stood up from my bed, the door was open, but I wonder why I didn't hear it, but I went outside to check if Viola's was still open, which it was, so I went back to my room, picked up Viola, and took her back into hers, as I placed her on her bed, I kissed her on the forehead, and told her good night.

How I hate school, it's so boring, the assignments are too easy, and for that, I procrastinate on purpose, I would get B's on my tests just to lower my chances of skipping a grade. By the time the final bell rang, I chose to already finish my homework and turn it in early.

I will not let anything get in my way to see Ellen again, so I dashed home, Viola's trying _really _hard to catch up with me, I wanted to wait up for her, but my determination wouldn't let me, while at home, I quickly changed, grabbed the supplies for the lilacs, refilled my canteen, tied my bandanna, and I dashed, passing by an exhausted Viola.

By the time I made it to the mansion, I quickly, but carefully, did the daily routine for the Lilacs. As I looked up at the third story balcony, there she was, the first girl that I like, as Viola says.

"Welcome back, Vic."

I looked at the man and greetingly said, "Alistair."

"I see the lilacs are barely sprouting."

"Yes, well, it has been only a few days."

"Yes, of course. Would you like to come inside, it's slightly cold out here?"

Him being too nice is making me sick to my stomach.

"Sure, but I can't be here long."

"Very well, I presume you came here to see Ellen."

I nodded.

"All right, I'll go let her know that you're here." He said.

"But she's, there." I said, surprised in the end.

She wasn't there anymore, I wonder why.

"Is something wrong?" he asked.

"No." I lied.

"Well, come in."

When I went in, Alistair asked if I remember where her room is, and I nodded.

"Well, go and say hi." he said.

And I went up the two flights of stairs and the third door to the right, and I saw a bedridden girl smiling at me.

"You came." she said weakly.

"Just as I said I would."

She coughed, then ushered me to come to sit on the side of the bed.

"Will you lay back; I'm not supposed to sit up."

"Yet you come outside."

"My parents are to never know."

"I see."

And I laid on my back, only for Ellen to turn to her side and hug my arm, my face felt really warm, my heart started racing, and I got paralyzed from shock when she kissed my cheek.

"Your face is red, are you sick?" she asked.

"No, I'm probably blushing." I said.

"Why?"

"You kissed me." I muttered, just loud enough for her to hear.

"Oh."

"Do you like me?" I asked her.

Her eyes widened and quickly shook her head, and I gave her a look that was saying really.

"Yes." She whispered.

"Well, I find it a relief."

She looked at me questioningly, "Why?"

"Because, I feel the same way for you Ellen."

And without thinking, I pressed my lips against hers, and she kissed back.

"_So this is what a kiss is like_?" I thought.

She pulled away, I was slightly disappointed.

"I can't, I'll get you sick." She said.

"Are you contagious?"

"What?"

"Are you contagious?" I repeated.

"No."

"Then you don't have to worry."

She smiled, "Okay, I'm going to sleep."

"Okay, I rest for a few minutes before I leave."

And I wrapped my arms around the girl and slept for a bit, she hugged me back, and cuddled a bit, I found it cute, her light snoring was also cute, when I woke up after what felt like a few minutes, I looked at my watch, I have to leave in 5 minutes.

"Ellen, I have to leave."

"Okay, I'll see you tomorrow." She said, and gave me a kiss good-bye.

And I left, by the time I came home, I was there in time to have dinner, Uncle Tra- I mean, Dad, always comes home at 6:00 because he would either go hunting or the shooting range with his friends. Judging from the new target posters on the wall, he went to the shooting range.

"Hey Vic, glad you came home for dinner." said Dad.

I lowered my head, and said, "Yeah."

"You okay?"

"Of course, I just want to talk to Viola, alone."

"Of course, brother." Viola hesitated before she said brother, probably still trying to get used to the fact that we're now siblings.

We headed to my room, and sat on my bed.

"So, how's Ellen?" she asked.

I felt my face getting hot, my heart racing, and a sensation on my lips, then I pressed a half flexed finger on my lower lip.

"No way, you kissed her didn't you?!"

The things I felt before increase, and I nodded.

She grabbed my shoulders, and started asking random questions, like how it was, how did I react, how did Ellen react, all kinds of questions. And I answered all of them. Afterwards, we had dinner, I helped Viola with the questions she didn't understand from today's homework, watched TV, then went to bed. Viola didn't come to my room that night. Hopefully, she got over the guilt, and hopefully, I'm wrong about what I think about Ellen's parents

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Sorry if the confession was rushed, but anyways, now that this chapter is done, review what you thought. This is AoC, Signing Off!


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